AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys! I hope you're all doing well! As alwayyyysss, thank you for the support! Have a great day. If any of you need me, I'll be hiding under my desk in case any of you are looking to throw things at me.
Or, just catch me in my inbox. Whichever works :D
Xxxxx
I couldn't have been any more relieved to see Paul sound asleep. But, that night I couldn't follow him. The piano still played, lulling the Pokémon. Most of them. My grandmother's Luxray still walked up and down the hallway, stopping at the bedroom door from time to time to sit for a moment before resuming her pace. Eventually she stopped passing by the door, kicking up my curiosity.
"What is she up to?"
Getting out of bed and peering in the hallway, I saw her sitting in front of Paul's mother's bedroom door. With what little light available, I could just barely see her there. The large feline looked at me and then walked in to the room. Wanting nothing to do with that, I went the opposite way down the hallway.
"Reggie?" I called out, heading up in to the attic. "Reggie, it's late."
Still sitting at his piano, Reggie was playing. Walking up behind him, I tried not to startle him because I assumed he hadn't heard me. Coming up next to him slowly, I touched his shoulder and took a seat beside him. The light from the moon shone in from the attic window, hitting enough of Reggie's face that I could see where tears clung to his eyes.
"Reggie..."
He kept on playing, almost in a trance. I put my hand over his forearm, easing him to stop.
"Reggie, Paul's asleep... you should go to sleep, too."
"I can't sleep on Paul's birthday. This is normal for me. "
"...this still haunts you that badly."
"Every fiber of my body. Seventeen years later..."
Understanding as best as I could, I tried persuading Reggie to at least leave the attic.
"Paul's safe and sound in bed downstairs... so, at least leave the attic." I reasoned with him. "It's kind of depressing sitting up here in the dark. This doesn't creep you out?"
"The dark has never bothered me... I know everything that's up here with me."
Reggie had simply meant there was nothing lurking around the attic for him to be scared of, but I got a chill at the thought of it. I got Reggie to leave the attic, insisting that we could talk downstairs.
"The poor Pokémon are trying to sleep, I don't want to disturb them."
"I'll grab my sweater if you want to sit outside in the yard..." I offered. "Come on, Reggie. Don't do this to yourself."
"I could use some air. Maybe the yard is a good idea."
Descending the steps from the attic, I was the first one out. Down the hall, a shadow moved. I almost screeched, jumping back and nearly tripping over Reggie's feet. Reggie caught me, his own heart leaping up in to his throat. He pulled me back behind him, holding an arm up defensively.
"What is it?"
Maggie's Luxray revealed herself and walked down the hallway, heading downstairs. Reggie gave a dry laugh, mostly letting loose his nerves.
"Thank God I've been drinking..." He sighed. "That was a heart attack waiting to happen."
"Sorry, Reggie... I scared us both for nothing."
He kissed the top of my head, promising it was okay.
The sleeping Pokémon that we passed by on our way to the stairs dozed away, moving and adjusting in their sleep. He lowly hummed the melody to Paul's lullaby, relaxed sighs coming up from their throats. In harmony, their different sighs and purrs created a soothing white noise.
Sneaking back in to Paul's room, I grabbed my jacket and shoes. We went downstairs, passing by more Pokémon. Reggie kept up the soothing hum, coming across Growlithe who was actively whining in his sleep. He moved his paws as if he were chasing after something desperately. Reggie stopped to rub his head, assuring the sleeping Pokémon that he was there. He stopped whining, lying still. His whimpers died down.
"There's something special about you, Reggie..."
"Everyone has something special about them, Ash. We're all gifted."
Sitting in the grass outside, Reggie and I looked out over the dark sky. Some Murkrow flew out in the distance, the shadow of their dark-colored wings barely visible be it nightfall had left the sky nearly black.
"I meant something extra special. It's like you heal everything you touch... I envy that. A lot."
"Don't envy me." He cautioned. "I'm capable of harm like any other flawed human."
A howl in the distance went on for a few seconds, interrupting our conversation. From inside, the house came the sound of claws hitting the tile in a hurry, then a similar howl. Scared that it would wake up Paul or Alain, Reggie gave a quick, low whistle. The howling stopped immediately.
"Growlithe." He chided. "Come here. None of that."
The canine appeared at the sliding door, pawing the glass. Reggie went to let him out, welcoming him to join us.
"What was that howling coming from the North?"
"Arcanine. There's a wild pack of them in the woods."
"Do they ever come here?"
"No, but if you're out late enough you'll hear them."
Growlithe stood at full attention, nose pointed towards the woods where more howling ensued. Reggie beckoned him in close, resting his body in his lap. Patting his head, Reggie coaxed him not to resume his howling.
"You're not part of their pack, you big puppy."
"Maybe one day he could be."
"I'd hate to see him go. But, if that what he wanted one day then who would I be to stop him?"
Swishing his tail back and forth, Growlithe grumbled softly with Reggie's loving strokes to his fur. The dog Pokémon's ears perked as the wild Arcanine continued calling out.
"Do you want to leave, Growlithe?" Reggie asked him.
The dog Pokémon raised his head up at the question. He looked towards the woods and then at Reggie, seemingly conflicted at the choice now given to him. Reggie leaned back on his palms, encouraging him to do whatever he wanted. Growlithe got up from Reggie's lap and took a few steps towards the woods that resided way in back of the wide, spacious yard.
"Don't let me hold you back. You don't have to stay with me forever."
Growlithe turned back around and curled up between us. Reaching over, I began patting him. I wasn't ready to see him go. Reggie giving him the option to leave had sincerely scared me for a moment... Growlithe was a good friend of mine. But, if he had really wanted to leave I don't think I could have told him no, either.
"Is it hard to let these Pokémon go, Reggie?"
"Mhm."
"...How do you do it then? You raised them."
Reggie pondered it.
"I have faith that they go to good trainers, good homes. Doesn't matter to me whether they battle, or just sit at home and keep a family company... both people and Pokémon all take different paths. Sometimes together, sometimes on their own."
Growlithe cried as the wild pack began howling, again.
"In the end, I just want them all to be happy. There's no point holding them back."
When the sky's opaque black color lightened to a dusty gray, Reggie and I knew dawn would be on its way in the oncoming hours. Paul's birthday had technically ended at Midnight hours before, but the promise of daylight on its way was what finally brought Reggie's body to ease. Growlithe fell asleep, again.
"Tomorrow's on its way." Reggie praised. "I think I'll have some pound cake then head to bed. You want a piece?"
After having a snack with Reggie, I went back upstairs. Reggie's bedroom door shut, his humming the last thing I heard from him before the door clicked. Paul was still asleep when I laid down next to him. Now, hearing him breathe was the only lullaby that I needed.
Xxxxx
"Ashton..."
Hearing someone talk to me, I stirred away. I hadn't a clue to what time it was but when I looked outside the window it was darker than I'd remembered it being when I fell asleep. Before I could question why I'd been called by my full name, I was freaking out.
"Who the hell are you!?"
"Who I am holds no value to you, yet."
I woke up to someone standing over my bed, a pale hand with black nails having been resting on my pillow. The nails... they looked more like short claws. Sitting up in a panic, I tried shaking Paul awake but my hands went right through him. Pulling my hands back, I stared at them in amazement... and horror.
"I've been worried about you."
There was a woman standing by the bed... a tall woman. Her long black hair came down past her hips with vivid blue streaks swirling towards the ends. Her jewelry was heavy, a gold ring with a large black stone adorned her hand. Her earrings were oblong hoops handing down towards her shoulders. And her dress... as black as her hair. The back of it dragged along the ground almost regally.
"Worried about me?"
"Certainly."
"...Why would you be worried about me? You don't know me."
This mysterious woman with large, black-lined yellow eyes ran a nail through her hair, moving it to rest behind her shoulder. She took a few steps towards the window, holding her hands down in front of herself as she looked out in to the dark sky that I could see had a full moon.
"You're so happy... this new life of yours has been a blessing, hasn't it?"
"Y-Yeah, I like it here. I'm happy."
The mysterious woman's tapped her nails along the window.
"I'd hate to see that ruined next time chaos comes your way."
"Chaos?"
Looking over her shoulder at me, she nodded. Her earrings swayed, coming to a still as she reached up to stop them. Now, they hung evenly.
"Chaos." She confirmed. "Storms... they come for you. Ashton. Do not lose your way."
Rain drops began slowly pelting the window. Opening it, she reached her hand out and let droplets fall in to her open palm. A gust of wind blew in, blowing her hair and earrings back. The droplets in her hand formed something...
What looked like blue petals were in her hand. She blew them at me with a soft puff of air, the petals dissolving in to my skin and making me sleepy.
"Lovely seeing you again, Ashton."
Xxxxx
It smelled like rain when I woke up... and fur. Maggie's Luxray was eye level with me. Oddly, I didn't shriek when spotting her at my bedside. We stared at one another. She walked away. I thought about the dream I'd had, regretting the late snack I ate before bed. Mom had always warned me it wasn't a good idea to snack late.
"I shouldn't eat sugar before bed... what the fuck."
"What?"
Paul was in the bathroom brushing his teeth when he heard me talking to myself.
"Nothing, just talking to myself."
Having to leave for work, Paul came in to kiss me goodbye. As he left, Pikachu ran in with his babies. Growlithe came in running after them. He chased them around as they hid under the bed, behind Paul's desk and other crevices. Essentially, he wound up playing "whack-a-mole" with them, failing as each time he tried pawing at one of them, they would evade the hit.
"I know you guys are having fun and all... but, if Electivire catches wind of this..."
Growlithe had almost bopped a Pichu on the head, giving me a flashback to how peeved Paul's Pokémon had been when Growlithe knocked over one of its siblings. Pikachu jumped off the bed and landed on Growlthe's head, knocking the poor thing down. He stood back up and began barking at Pikachu who leaped back up on to the bed. All the Pichu followed their parent, sitting in my lap, on my shoulders and head. Growlithe was pissed, running around in circles and yapping like an idiot.
"Can't you guys stay out of trouble until Reggie's up?" I bemoaned. "It's really early..."
"I'm up." Reggie announced, walking past the door with his slippers scuffing the carpet. "Meet me downstairs for Breakfast. It'll get these guys out of your hair for a while."
Reggie walked away, withholding a yawn.
"Alain, I'm going to make pumpkin Belgian waffles. Wakey wakey, Love."
Later, in the middle of pouring syrup over my waffles, Reggie sidled up next to me with his laptop. He had a webpage open for the most popular wedding chapels.
"Have you thought about whether you want a traditional wedding or something more modern and light-hearted?"
"I don't know... Reggie, I'm not even sure if I want more waffles after this."
"Of course you want more, you're a growing boy."
"...Reggie, I'm 21."
Alain snorted. Reggie forked a bite of his own food in to Alain's mouth to shut him up. It happened so quick that Alain actually sat stunned. Reggie gave Alain's cheek a pat.
"You should chew that. It'll keep you out of trouble."
For Alain's sake, I kept my eyes away from him knowing that his pale complexion was stained pink because of Reggie. Following the incident, Reggie spent Breakfast making sure I knew my options for locations before going on about flowers and food.
"Not that there's a rush, but we should get price estimates for florists and caterers."
"I can get you a florist. You and Paul don't need a caterer."
"Um, yes we do."
"I'm catering. Let me worry about the food."
A burst of laughter came from Alain. All Reggie had to do was turn his head towards him in the slightest and Alain was defensively preparing to fend off any oncoming "attack". Seeing that Reggie didn't do anything, Alain took a drink. Reggie began talking about all the food he could make for the reception. Alain snickered. Paul's brother threw a stack of napkins at him.
"Why are you throwing shit at me? You're crazy."
"My brother is getting married. I'm not crazy, I'm excited."
"Same difference."
"Eat your food. I specifically made this flavor for you."
Alain gave Reggie a dramatic sigh and made a show of cutting in to his waffles. Reggie brought up the chapel page again and encouraged me to give them another peek before going to cook me that waffle I oh, so needed.
"One or two, Ash?"
"One is enough, Reggie..."
"Alain?"
Mouth full, Alain pointed his utensils towards the stack of waffles he still had on his plate.
"I'll make you another just in case."
Alain reached for the syrup and grumbled under his breath.
"I'm going back to bed and sleeping this off after Breakfast."
Alain wasn't used to so much food, Reggie incapable of slowing down his cooking whilst surrounded by so many people he cared about. He buttered the waffle iron and poured in the batter.
"Cooking doesn't always have to be this big event, Reggie."
"Speaking of big events. Ash, please remind your grandmother that she is welcome to come have Thanksgiving with us this month. I don't want her making any plans to cook. I'll be putting together a little meal-"
The next, and last, outburst to come from Alain spurred me to laugh, too. Reggie didn't seem to hear how ridiculous he sounded.
"You don't cook small meals, Reggie." I argued. "You're always preaching not to overfeed the Pokémon but you have no problem overfeeding us."
"I've put on five pounds being here, again." Alain agreed. "And that was before this massive stack of waffles. I don't want to weigh myself this week."
"Same."
Reggie didn't know who he wanted to get first. The two Shinx now shredding up napkins on the floor became his first priority, a big mess in progress.
"Troublemakers." he huffed. "You two, too. Silly Cats. You didn't have to shred the poor napkins."
I got up to get some milk to wash down the sweet waffles with, catching just in time as Alain had leaned down in his chair to help pick up the mess their two Shinx had made. Reggie pecked him on the lips. Thinking I hadn't seen it, the pink across Alain's face looked more amorous than embarrassed.
Xxxxx
"Your brother and Alain are cute together."
"You think so?"
"You don't?"
The end of Paul's shift led him to the Gym downstairs. Be it the Gym wasn't my natural habitat I stood out like a sore thumb amongst the equipment. I sat on a yoga ball as Paul bench-pressed far more than I weighed...
"I don't pay attention to stuff like that."
"What do you pay attention to, then?"
"How relieved he looks now that he knows Alain isn't dead somewhere with a needle in his arm."
"You're welcome."
"Your meddling worked, you got lucky."
"I don't think it was luck. They needed each other."
The weights clinked with Paul's reps and I pushed myself back and forth with the heels of my feet. Paul got up to add more weight. A lot more weight.
"Paul?"
"What?"
"Is that safe?"
"When you know what you're doing. Why don't you pick up some weights? No point sitting around watching me."
The thought was laughable. No point watching Paul work up a sweat? Yeah, okay.
"It has its perks."
"So does exercising."
"This isn't my thing."
"Health isn't your thing?"
"You sound like Reggie, stop. You know, he made sweet potatoes with Lunch today and I got an earful about the health benefits of eating them."
"I hate sweet potatoes, too. I don't know how he likes them."
Sliding out from under the bar, Paul sat up to take a drink.
"He made them in to fries. Fries! I was fucking horrified, Paul."
Paul coughed lightly, fluid almost going down the wrong pipe.
"Baby, I'm so sorry."
"Your brother ruined fries!"
I crossed my arms over my chest, recalling how excited I'd been when Reggie told me we were having batter-fried fish with fries for Lunch only to be devastated upon what was served to me. Fucking sweet potato fries.
"Then I got another lecture because I fed them to Growlithe. It's not my fault Growlithe will eat anything."
"Reggie's never going to change, heh."
"I love your brother, but not enough to eat sweet potato fries. I would literally rather shove whole sweet potatoes up my ass."
Paul got back under the bar to resume his workout.
"I'm right there with you."
"...You'd rather put sweet potatoes up your ass than eat them?"
"Never said anything about my ass."
Not amused, I picked up Paul's water bottle and threatened to squirt him with him. He didn't seem worried.
"Go ahead." He dared me. "I'll get you back later."
"Don't come anywhere near my ass with your brother's root vegetables and we'll let this go."
"Imagine how mad he'd be? The sweet potatoes he grew in his own garden... all that hard work to go up your ass."
"That's so fucked up."
The horror of Reggie's cooking that Afternoon were forgiven considering all the other wonderful things he does. And, although Paul was good company, eventually, boredom did set in and I went looking for something to occupy myself. Some residents walking past the gym window with their swimming gear gave me the solution that I needed.
"Paul, I'm going to go upstairs and get my bathing suit. If you need me, I'll be swimming laps."
"Break a sweat. It's good for you."
xxxxx
The water was warm as I raised my arms from the water, kicking my legs to move from one end of the pool to the opposite. As I took a breather, a blonde-haired young man leaped in to the swimming lane next to me. The volume to his hair went completely flat upon becoming saturated with water. And a giant splash of water hit me as he darted down the late, swimming.
"That was kind of rude..." I observed under my breath, wiping heavily chlorinated water out of my eyes. "Guess he was in a hurry to exercise."
The blonde only swam a few laps before getting out of the pool, an air of annoyance following him as he picked up his towel and marched away towards the changing room. I felt bad for him. The guy was having a bad day. He left just as sour when I was making my way down the lane, again. When the doors shut behind him, I noticed he hadn't signed out in the log the establishment kept to monitor everyone's entrance and exit times. But, that was the end of my concern. I became one with the water, spotting the lifeguard on duty seated with a magazine in hand.
Xxxxx
"Swim, Ashton! You can do it."
"But, Daddy... Mama said the water is deep here."
"You have no reason to fear the ocean. The ocean is our friend."
My small feet stood at the shore, the tide lapping at my ankles as my father beckoned me in to the water with him. It was just us, and he wanted to swim out past the shallow water.
"Mama said I'll drown out there...there's no lifeguard."
"I would never let you drown."
Trusting my father, I ran to him. Kicking up water along the way, I ran until the sand beneath my feet was gone and I was following him out in to the open water. A Wingull flew by and dove down, skimming the water with its beak. I yelled, panicking from the surprise. Water went down my throat and I coughed a bit, spitting out the salty water. A wave came in, splashing over me. Tears in my eyes as they burned, I coughed up more water.
"Eck-Daddy!"
"Easy, Ashton." he consoled me, swimming in close. "Don't fight the sea."
"There's salt in my eyes! Daddy, help!"
Treading water as he stayed afloat, my father held his arms out for me and I swam in to his chest while trying to blink away the salt water. He looked up towards the Summer sky with a smile as I held on to him. My young, brown eyes reflected his face, showing as he smiled wider once turning his stare on me.
"See? Daddy would never let you drown."
Xxxxx
I had a melancholy yearning for the ocean as I dried off from the pool. The smell of chlorine was nothing compared to the smell of an ocean breeze past hightide. Summer was over, though. I'd have to wait another year. But, it was worth the wait. Paul and I would be married.
Paul and I would be married.
The thought of it lingered as I passed by the gym, spotting Paul putting back the weights he'd used. His headphones weren't on so I tapped the glass. He turned, spotting as I waved and carried on to make my way up to our apartment. Paul was still downstairs as I showered away the chlorinated water on my skin. My old rubber Psyduck sat near the soap, staring at me. For a moment, I stared back at it before turning its stare to the shower wall.
Keys turning the lock to the apartment door emerged as I sat on the bed, laptop set in front of me and pajama bottoms on. Paul walked by, drenched in sweat. He was absolutely swollen, his muscles catching the light and shiny with his perspiration. He came in and left his shoes by the bed, imparting a message in his passing.
"I want you face down in that bed, ready to get that ass fucked when I'm out of the shower. Everything off."
I sat there dumbly, thinking over what had just instructed me to do. The blunt way he'd delivered it wasn't unlike Paul... but, he normally had more finesse. The shower turned on, and then turned off far more quickly than it usually did with Paul in there. Scrambling to get my device set aside and throw my pajamas to the floor, I took the position I'd been assigned.
I held my breath, hearing Paul dry himself off in a hurry. With my face in the sheets, I couldn't see him when he walked in. But the first thing I felt as he climbed up behind me was the raging erection he had pressing against the crack of my ass.
"You really are the best little pet a man could ask for." He praised me in a husky drawl, running one finger down my spine. "You like following, orders?"
"For you."
"Spread your ass then."
Reaching back, I held my cheeks open. Paul picked up his box of birthday presents, looking through it.
"These beads are going up your ass." He informed me. "Stay spread."
Lube was poured over my entrance then over the surface of the first black, rubber anal bead. When he pressed it against me, I took it in easily. Actually, the texture of it going in felt nice.
"That was way easier than I thought it'd be. The beads looked big but they slid in-"
Paul carefully began pulling on the string, and I shut up. My entrance hugged it tight, almost unwilling to give it back.
"If only it worked both ways." He teased, gently pulling the bead out.
When it came out, Paul asked before putting it back in.
"Again?"
I gave him a nod, and he eased it back inside of me. The next time Paul pulled it out, I was more mentally prepared. He tested my comfort zone with the toy a few times before skipping pulling the first bead out and going straight ahead to adding a second one.
"Two beads coming out this time." He warned me, pulling the string tight. "Ready?"
The first one slid out and I sighed, Paul not waiting for my permission to pull out the second. My body let it go, stretching my entrance. The round surface was rubbed wetly around my entrance.
"How many of these are you willing to fit in here?" He asked me curiously, pushing the original two back in. "The rest of these are looking a little dry and lonely."
"How many do you want to put in?"
Paul ran his fingers over the length of the stringed beads, right to the last one. I raised my ass up, opening it wide, giving him the cue to carry on. Boy, did he. My asshole was a tender, lubed mess by the time Paul had managed to work me up to the whole string of beads. It was completely worth it. That sensitivity, it made me so receptive to Paul's touch.
"Pull it out slower, this time." I cautioned Paul, arms beginning to rattle as they held my slippery ass cheeks open.
"Slower?"
One bead was pulled slowly, popping out as my asshole let it go. Paul pulled out a second, my groaning not enough to cover up the wet pop. The third bead came out and Paul paused, staring at my ass. I stopped counting, holding my breath as each round, rubber ridge came sliding out of me in what felt like a never-ending train.
My hands came up to curl in my own hair, grasping the strands at my scalp once the beads were all pushed back inside me. My ass muscles clenched, the ripple of muscles traveling up my spine to my shoulders in wave of gradual shivers. Paul's hand came down on my ass in a brisk, heavy swat. My ass ricocheted with the swat from his palm, jiggling for a moment.
"Fuck, I love when you do that. Ahhhhh..." I groaned, Paul beginning to pull the string of beads again. "Spank me harder."
"I'll give you harder."
The beads came out and Paul went looking for the paddle I'd bought him. He sat back down and demanded I crawl over to him. Curling my body up off the bed, I quickly made my way to his lap. He dragged me up by my chin when I laid myself over his knees.
"Oh, no." he scolded, tapping the side of my face with the paddle without any force. "You want this, you're earning it."
"I have to earn a paddling?"
"If I say so."
Paul's desire to mess with me wasn't any hurdle I was scared of.
"If you say so?" I challenged. "That's funny."
"Is it?"
Paul's grasp on my chin took hold of my entire jaw. I toyed with the edge of the paddle, tapping my nails on it, pretending not to notice how tightly Paul was holding me.
"I mean, if you don't want to paddle me... that's your loss." I provoked him. "Maybe someone else will do it. I'm sure all I'd have to do is ask."
I kissed the corner of Paul's mouth.
"But, you already know that."
"I'm gonna tell you what I know."
There was a nasty pop.
He hit me with the paddle, hard. My body nearly collapsed on itself, Paul and I's eyes meeting for a second. Then he struck me again. My knees gave out and my chest was upon Paul's. A third strike and my hands shot up to grab his whipping arm, a wordless plea to stop as I caught my breath in an oncoming fit of trembles.
"That nice chunk of ass you've got belongs to me. If another man ever so much as insinuates otherwise, I'll gladly put him in his place. That includes you."
My fingers curled around Paul's arm, still trembling without any sign of it stopping. I rested my forehead on his shoulder, my skin breaking out in a sweat as the pain truly set in. It was building sensation, like a burn that worsened with time.
"You want another man to spank you?" Paul asked.
"N-No. Not at all."
Another nasty pop.
"Then why play with fire?"
Fighting my body's quiver, I knocked the paddle out of Paul's hand and raised my hips over his erection. Penetration went smoothly, literally. Only, the ring of muscle surrounding my intimate entrance was over stimulated. My back curled up similar to the way one may react to having the fine hairs at the back of their neck stand up suddenly.
"Because, I can." I shuddered, moving on top of him. "I like watching you lose your cool."
"You're going to regret it one of these days." He warned me. "I'm territorial of what's mine."
Paul grabbed at my sore ass, squeezing without any regard to the tender cheeks. My wince spurred Paul to squeeze harder under I was grabbing at his arms again, in an attempt to loosen his grip.
"You want to dish it out, then you're taking it." he told me, moving my hips up and down in brutish tugs. "Maybe you'll play nice next time."
My teeth lashed out along his neck, taking a nip close to his collar bone. He growled as I began to suck the skin raw, blood vessels surely breaking under his skin. My nails dug in to him, leaving little crescent moons on his light, beige skin. Paul's pheromones were beginning to waft past my nose as a loud rapping came from our front door. It didn't stop us.
"Someone's at the door." I commented, licking the hickey I gave Paul.
Paul kept my pace on his cock consistent.
"Does it look like I give a fuck? Keep that ass moving."
Getting my boyfriend to lie back, I pressed my palms on his chest, continuing the quick thrusts down with my ass. Leaning my torso out, I kissed at Paul's Adam's apple, moaning in sync with him. The knocking eventually stopped, whoever it was getting the idea that no one was coming to answer the door. Later that night Paul went to see if there had been a note of any kind left, but he said there was none.
Xxxxxx
The days prior to Thanksgiving, Reggie toted me along with him to run some errands. One of which involved the hairdresser. Paul's brother undid his hair tie whilst seated at the chair, revealing hair that went down past half of his back.
"You have a lot of hair... way more than I thought you did." I gawked. "How do you take care of all that?"
"Remarkably well." the hairdresser chirped, the man apparently well acquainted with Reggie over the years. "I've never seen a split end on him all these years."
While Reggie got his ends trimmed up, I contemplated my own overgrown hair. A magazine of trendy cuts laid on the low table in the waiting room, staring me down as I twisted the wisps of hair beginning to split at the nape of my neck.
"This could use a trim..."`
Reggie's hairdresser overheard me as he held the ends of Reggie's hair between his first two fingers, snipping away at about three inches to keep it all healthy.
"I'd have to agree. I'll fix you up after I'm done with Reggie, here."
"I don't know what I want to do with my hair."
"I know exactly what I'm going to do with your hair."
When Reggie's bangs were trimmed and fixed up, he looked refreshed. Not that he ever looked scruffy or anything before, no. But, the fresh cut was strikingly flattering. When his hairdresser beckoned me to the chair for my turn, I shuffled my feet.
"Don't get cold feet on me." he urged, patting the leather quickly. "Come on. Let me fix that all up. You have layers that need some help, immediately. I'll chase you with scissors, don't make me do that."
I got in the chair, the height adjusted for a moment with the floor pedal. Before spraying down my hair, Reggie's hairdresser ran his fingers through the thick tufts, seeing just how badly I had been neglecting it.
"This thick hair of yours has a mind of its own, hm?"
"The layers have always just done whatever."
"This spunky look is fine and dandy on kids and teenagers but you're a man. Let's bring that out."
My chair was spun around so that I was facing away from the mirror, the hair dresser getting straight in to the meat of the matter. I felt him comb down all my hair flat, the reality of how long my hair was dawning on me.
"You have lots of volume to your hair, it's misleading." I was told, pieces of hair falling in to my lap over the apron that had been thrown over me. "You have far more going on up here than you realize."
More hair came down in to my lap.
"This is a lovely texture that you have." he complimented me in an envious tone. "Straight hair this thick takes a lot of maintenance. People don't realize this."
I didn't know what he was doing to my hair. I could only sit there and feel as bits and ends were removed. I felt the scissors move across my head, finishing at my bangs. Going over all my ends with a pair of thinning shears was the final step before he took a hair dryer and blew all the stray snips off of me on to the floor and then dried my hair. Reggie leaned on a nearby counter, arms crossed with an approving grin. I only caught a glimpse of it before my chair was being spun back around to the mirror.
"...That's amazing."
My bangs were cut across my forehead, the ends just below my eyebrows with tiny snips for definition. I had gradually stacked layers now, all the random tufts that stuck out were now gone. My longest layer came down to about my earlobes, the layers in front stacked to flatter my face. A lot of hair was gone... so much of it covered my lap and the floor-more hair that I'd ever cut off in my life. Had it not looked so good, I could have been horrified.
"You look great with short hair. So cute, and foxy." The hair dresser complimented. "You're going to break a lot of hearts."
"This one belongs to my brother... if he's breaking hearts there will be broken bones right along with them."
"Paul's got himself a little love bug? About damn time."
As the apron was taken off of me, the hair dresser had a good laugh.
"I can't wait for him to come in. I'm going to ask him all about you next time."
"While you anticipate that, Ash and I are going to go get the food shopping done."
"I wish you both a great Thanksgiving! Thanks for coming in."
We each paid for our cuts, Reggie leaving a generous tip for the both of us. Finally, we went to the store to get a head start on the shopping that early morning before the supermarkets became swarmed with the holiday shoppers. The store was busy, but nowhere near a busy as it would have been had we waited a few more hours when the rush was. I hadn't seen Richie that day, which was odd. He was almost always manning the front early in his shift.
"Where are you going to keep all these groceries?" I asked, shaking out stray bits of hair that were in my shirt in the parking lot. "Your fridge is big, but I wouldn't try cramming all this in it."
"I have a deep freezer in the basement. It comes in handy."
I looked in the back of the van where all the grocery bags laid, amazed at how much food Reggie was going to singlehandedly cook. On the way home, we stopped at the liquor store for the wine. Reggie looked over the seasonal selections with interest, taking his time deciding between whether he wanted accents of apple or cranberries. Not interested, I stood in the isle with him as he browsed the options. I was texting Paul when the front of the store chimed as someone came in. When I peered over out of curiosity, I flinched and darting out of sight, behind Reggie.
"Hm? Ash?"
"Shhh!"
"...?"
Reggie looked to his side, reaching behind himself to see what the problem was.
"Why are you hiding behind me like that?"
"I can't be seen."
"Who's here?"
Walking in the front of the store were Gary and what appeared to be his colleague. From the sounds of their chattering, they were having a celebratory dinner of sorts. They still had on their work uniforms, the company logo printed along the front of their white lab coats. I didn't recognize it, but last I'd known, Gary was interning with Professor Rowan. His new uniform implied he now had a paying job-a prestigious one. Reggie took a look at the logo on his lab coat and made a disgusted sound.
"Which one are you hiding from?" he asked me.
"The brunette one."
"Is that who I assume it is?".
"Exactly who you assume it is."
Patting my side, Reggie urged me to sneak out the back and handed me the van keys.
"I'll be out in a minute."
I climbed in the back seat of the van, Reggie coming out with his purchase as he promised. Peeking over the edge of the window, I eavesdropped as I heard someone call out to him. He had been spotted by Gary's colleague.
"Reggie, how are you?"
"I'm great, but I need to get home. I'm late for an errand."
"That's too bad, I would have loved to catch up."
The forced conversation that happened informed me that Reggie knew the man Gary worked with. They had both been in the beginning of their breeding careers when they met.
"What company did you end up working for?" the colleague asked.
"I work for myself."
"...You really stuck with that?"
Reggie nodded.
"Reggie." he chuckled. "It's been years. Many years."
"I regret none of them."
"You're in your thirties now, aren't you?"
As Reggie and his colleague spoke, Gary's eyes began to narrow.
"You look familiar." he commented, suspiciously.
"We've never met." Reggie assured him, simply. "You must be confusing me with someone else."
"I never said we met. I said you look familiar."
Reggie's colleague, feeling ever so helpful, offered a suggestion.
"Maybe you've met his brother. Your brother still living in Sinnoh, Reggie? What was his name again?"
"I really need to get going."
"Ah, well. Listen, take my card. Okay? If you ever want to move on up, we're always looking for new applicants."
"I don't believe in cruelty to Pokémon. Especially when it's disguised as research."
The blunt retort was followed up with a pointed stare at Gary.
"I don't condone cruelty of any kind. But, I guess some are just better suited for it."
Ducking quickly as Reggie walked towards the van, I knew Gary was watching him. I couldn't risk being seen. Getting in and turning the key in to the ignition, Reggie kept his eyes on the road then backed out of the parking lot.
"Your ex really does reek of a douche bag, Paul wasn't exaggerating." Reggie commented. "That personality of his just comes right through his pores."
"You and Paul look alike. He knew who you were."
Turning the blinker on, Reggie took a smooth turn down the street. He kept driving as if nothing were wrong.
"He doesn't know anything. People like him just think that they do."
"Reggie, for real. All Gary has to do is work his friend around and he's going to sniff out whatever he wants to know."
"And, you're worried that's Paul. Which would lead to you."
"Obviously."
Stopping at a red light, Reggie reached an arm behind the passenger seat to give me his hand.
"You don't have to hide back there, anymore. Come sit up front."
"I want to stay back here...until we get home."
The light turned green and Reggie began driving again. I sat on the floor in back, leaning against the passenger side seat. Reggie saw how I was curled in to myself, trying to be as small as possible.
"Paul used to curl in to me like that when he was four and our parents were fighting."
"Your parents?"
"They were loud. It scared him. I would stroke his hair to calm him down. I sang to him a lot."
The bottles of wine that Reggie bought sat in a bag up front where he wanted me to sit. They hit one another gently with the bumps in the road. The way Reggie ignored it made me feel like they could have crashed and broke, and he wouldn't have given a damn.
"You're safe with Paul. And, you're safe with me, Ash." he told me straight to the point. "I wanted to bash that man's head in."
"You're too nice for that."
"Looks are deceiving, aren't they? I have a mean streak in me that you just haven't seen."
Reggie... mean?
"I don't believe that."
"Hopefully, you'll never have to." he cautioned me seriously. "But, the minute someone truly crosses the line with any one I care about..."
Not finishing his statement, Reggie stopped talking. I peered around the passenger side seat at him. He looked down at me from the corner of his eye for a second then back at the road.
"I love you like I raised you. For anyone who could harm you, it's a dangerous thing. That's all you need to know about me. You're safe." Reggie promised. "It's a long ride home in this traffic. Come sit up front."
Taking the bottles from Reggie, I set them in back then climbed up front next to him. I buckled in, staring out the windshield at all the cars lined up in front of us. The anxiety in my chest was building. Reggie felt it. It saturated the air between us.
"I bought cocoa at the store. Do you want some when we get back?"
Xxxxx
I sat outside with a cup of cinnamon roll cocoa that Reggie made me. It was nice and rich, the top stacked with marshmallows all stuck to together as they melted in to a bumpy cloud of sugar. There was brown sugar dusted over the top with a stick of cinnamon in it. I drank it as I was under the large tree, the side facing away from the house. I had on Paul's old sweatshirt.
Which attracted Alain's Shinx.
The cat Pokémon found me, hopped on to my lap and began rubbing its body in to my stomach. Since Paul's sweatshirt was blue, I couldn't even tell how much fur he was getting on me. I rubbed his ears with my left hand, the cat pressing his little nose on my engagement ring.
"Are you like Murkrow? Do you like shiny things?"
Shinx shook its head.
"What do you like? Other than food and rubs?"
"Attention."
I heard Alain's voice, then Reggie's Shinx was running around the tree to me. It leaped on to my shoulder, sitting there as Alain showed himself. He took a seat next to me, putting his hands behind his head and leaning back against the tree.
"Reggie asked me to come check on you. He's running around the house making sure he has everything he'll need for the upcoming Holiday." he confessed, seeing as my body language pointed towards me wanting to be alone. "No hard feelings?"
"What Reggie says, it goes. I know how it is."
As I held my mug in my lap, I saw Alain's Shinx take a lick at the marshmallow topping.
"Hey!" I laughed, pulling it away. "That's mine."
I took another sip, leaning in just as Reggie's Shinx leaned in from on my shoulder to take a lick how his brother had.
"Hey!"
Alain grabbed the cats and held them in to his chest, finding their troublesome antics to be funny.
"That's Reggie's special Holiday cocoa." he informed me, with a hint of jealously. "He makes it exclusively for Thanksgiving and you got some early."
The Shinx squirmed and rubbed themselves against Alain, but he was still attentive to me.
"So, what happened?"
"Why do you assume something happened?"
"Hello? Reggie made you his special cinnamon roll cocoa. It's the equivalent of getting to open presents before Christmas."
I didn't know about the sacredness of Reggie's hot cocoa.
"I didn't know it was that special... it's delicious."
"Don't rub it in."
"I'm sure if you asked him he'd make you some early."
"I don't need it. Why did you?"
Alain's question was kind-hearted, which made me feel bad that I didn't want to talk about it. To coerce me, he picked up his Shinx and held it towards me.
"Would you feel better talking to him?"
"No."
"Oh, but you did it all the time at my house."
"And you didn't?"
"Not the point."
The Shinx began licking its lips, staring at the cocoa. I took a little bit of marshmallow on my finger and wiped it on his nose. He began licking it off, struggling as the melted sugar was so sticky. The other Shinx decided to generously help his brother try and lick the stuff off of him.
"That was mean."
"How was that mean?!"
"He only wanted to help."
I shook my head at Alain trying to lighten the mood. If he wanted to talk, then we'd talk.
"I ran in to my ex today. Or, I almost did. He spoke with Reggie, and I know for a fact he saw the resemblance to Paul." I admitted. "He had a co-worker there that actually knows Reggie-where he lives and all that. So, I guess I'm scared."
"You think your ex is that hard pressed to find you again? I thought Paul scared him last time."
"Gary doesn't like going down without a fight... and he doesn't play fair. He's hurt, that adds fuel to the fire."
Setting the Shinx so that they could go about fixing their marshmallow issue, Alain didn't see any issue.
"You're the safest man I know. Paul and Reggie won't let anyone hurt you. Especially Reggie."
"Reggie wouldn't let anyone hurt you, either. It's a nice thought, but it doesn't make me feel better."
"You don't get it."
Alain tapped the edge of my mug.
"You're his little brother now, too." He told me. " You and Paul are grown men, but when he looks at you two, in his heart, he sees his five-year-old little brother. And, his five-year-old little brother's best friend."
"He made me special cocoa and he's been good to me, I know-"
Making himself clear, Alain flat out explained that anything that threatened me, threatened Paul.
"Don't take this wrong way because Reggie loves you for who you are, but no matter how you twist it, Reggie's first priority is Paul's happiness and wellbeing. If your wellbeing is in danger... then Paul's in danger. Reggie wouldn't let that happen." Alain bluntly explained. "No exceptions. Not after all Paul's been through."
Xxxxx
Thanksgiving morning everyone was up early, working on whatever tasks Reggie had assigned them. Reggie was cooking, and would be later setting the table. Paul and Alain were outside, completing the yard work that Reggie normally did, minus the garden.
"After you feed the Pokémon their breakfast, could you tend to the garden?" he asked me, not stopping his task at hand. "I have to get this turkey in the oven with the stuffing then start all these side dishes."
"Weed, water and fertilize?"
"You're the best, yes."
As stressed out as Reggie was with the holiday preparations, he was excited. The Turkey went in the oven as I left to tend to his garden, all the Pokémon fed. Thanks to me, they'd all been washed and groomed prior to Thanksgiving. A bunch of bright-eyed and sparkling Pokémon wandered around the yard as I yanked up weeds. Alain came over with a bag of dried leaves he'd raked up with Paul, setting it down next to me to dump the weeds in.
"Is it safe to go in there?" he asked me.
"Reggie's working fast like he's got a stick of dynamite up his ass, but he's chipper as ever. I'd stay out of the kitchen if I were you, to be safe. He has a lot going on in there."
Alain must've have already known everything I said to him because he didn't look any more assured.
"You need help over here?" he offered.
"Are you that scared to go inside?"
"Reggie takes the holidays seriously. They're his Olympics."
"You can go inside the house, he's not THAT stressed out."
Picking up the hose in the grass, Alain began fiddling with it.
"I can help you water the garden."
"It's your first year back in a while. If you're nervous about spending Thanksgiving together again, tell Reggie."
"I'm not a teenager anymore, I shouldn't be so nervous about this cheesy crap."
"Playing with the hose isn't going to make it any easier."
I held my hand out for him to give it back before he drowned Reggie's precious garden in his anxieties. He handed it over then sat in the grass, watching me give the vegetables a gentle mist. His attention quickly moved to the roses by the back of the house.
"You planted those, huh?"
"It was Reggie's birthday gift this year."
"I bet he was happy."
"That doesn't begin to describe it."
Some rose petals fell to the drying grass, landing in small piles like bottom half of an hourglass.
"Don't the flowers die in the Winter?"
"They'll be back in Spring. The flowers die, but the roots and bushes stay."
"Seems like a lot of work for something that inevitably withers away."
"If that's how you want to look at it... but, the flowers always come back with the proper care. It's love, mostly. Give them love and they grow. It was one of the few nice things my mother taught me."
Turning off the sprayer, I put the hose back down to drag the bag of fertilizer over.
"But, after that it was all just shit." I concluded, tapping the bag. "Literally. You might want to get out of here because this stuff smells bad."
"Funny how shit makes the flowers stronger."
Paul walked over with two bags of tied off leaves, setting it next to the one Alain had brought over.
"Flowers might be on to something." he mused before telling Alain to get the bags to the front of the house. "I don't give a fuck about flowers, though. Drag these out front, I'm getting the lawn mower."
Along with leaves, the two had raked up pinecones too. Alain grimaced at the sticky surface of the bags. A result of the pinecone residue.
"My hands are sticky." he complained.
"You're used to it."
Walking away with the bags, Alain informed Paul that the only reason he wasn't being flipped off was because he didn't have a free hand to use.
"That was gross." I scoffed. "I didn't need to picture Alain jacking it."
"I already told you my opinion of picturing things, don't do it."
"That include you?"
"That, you're free to do at your own leisure."
Crouching down behind me, Paul whispered in my ear.
"You want to join me in the shower after this yard work is all squared away?"
"I don't think you'll be interested when I'm done."
"You're looking cute with that hair cut...I don't think I made that clear, yet."
Snapping open the top of the fertilizer, I tipped the bag to start pouring the rank substance over the soil. Paul scrunched his nose at the potency and went to finish his chore.
"Meet me after your shower." he changed his mind. "Damn, that shit stinks."
I laughed to myself as I began patting down the fertilizer with garden gloves.
"I guess I found Paul repellent."
Xxxxxx
I was done with the garden before Paul was done with the grass. As I made it upstairs to his room, I saw him dragging the lawnmower back to the garage before going back to drag over the bags of grass trimmings.
"Big houses take a lot of work." I muttered. "How the hell does Reggie do all this on his own, regular days?"
Seeing how much work went in to the large house made Paul and I's apartment all the more luxurious to me. Not that I needed much, I would have been just as content with a small room how Richie had. I thought about him, assuming he'd gone back to Pallet for Thanksgiving. I sent him a message, going to shower and get dressed up for the holiday. No shocker that Paul was disappointed to see me clean and dressed when he came up for his shower.
"I thought we had plans."
"I'm going to go help Reggie in the kitchen, he has a lot going on down there."
"That's probably a better use of your time. I'd rather my older brother not have a stroke from all this food he thinks he has to make."
"Enjoy your shower, I'll be downstairs."
I had my concerns that Reggie would refuse to let anyone help him in the kitchen that day, but when I offered my time he was quick to hand me a peeler and point out the cabinet with the aprons.
As if I didn't know where they were.
"The potatoes and carrots are in the sink. They need to be peeled. I'll chop them."
"Anything else?"
"The corn cobs need to be shucked."
Putting multiple pots of boiling water on the stove top, Reggie salted them in preparation for the vegetables he'd be making. Potatoes were peeled and Reggie took them and chopped them up, dropping them in the water as I worked on the carrots.
"Mashed potatoes." he said to himself. "Carrots will go in the oven with the green beans. Shuck the corn, boil it...make the cranberry sauce. And, the gravy. What else?"
"Didn't you buy squash?"
"The squash!"
Reggie went running and I whistled lowly to myself.
"Alain was right."
Down in the basement, Reggie was gathering the ingredients he needed for the mashed squash. I peeled all the carrots, stealing one to eat before starting the corn. I made it halfway through a carrot before being caught.
"Reggie tell you to eat the carrots, Baby?"
I kept munching, well aware of the mountain of carrots that remained for Reggie to cook with.
"Don't be a tattle tale."
"What's in it for me?"
"I don't tell your brother that you're trying to distract his help."
"Oh, but 'don't be a tattle tale' right?"
"You're just jealous this carrot isn't you right now."
Wrapping my lips around the vegetable, I took a bite as Reggie came walking back up from the basement.
"How are the carrots?" he asked me. "I hope I picked a good batch."
"They're delicious." I answered him, a sly grin aimed at Paul behind Reggie's back as I took another bite. "They're nice and thick..."
Paul tried plucking the vegetable away from me, a silent bickering going on behind his older brother. When Reggie caught on to Paul trying to steal the carrot, he handed one to him the way one may try to appease a child.
"Here, have one." he told Paul. "Let Ash get back on task. Why don't you go get his grandmother? Last I spoke with her, she said she'd be taking a taxi. But, if you haven't anything to do, you can go get her."
Eating the carrot, Paul went to check on Maggie and see if she was ready to come over or needed help with anything at her house before leaving. Alain came in as Paul left, announcing he'd washed his own car as well as Reggie's van while still outside. He also mentioned seeing Paul with a carrot, then spotted me still eating mine.
"So... could I maybe get in on this? Those look good."
Reggie handed him a peeled carrot.
"I don't know what's with all of you, today. It's as if you've never had carrots before."
Obviously, Alain hadn't a clue what was going on. Nor did Reggie, really. All he cared about was getting Dinner on the table. And when he did, that table top was packed. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, baked green beans and carrots, buttered squash, boiled corn, gravy, cranberry sauce, rustic bread and butter. While he'd done all the cooking, Maggie had done all the dessert.
"There are four different pies in the fridge, boys. And cookies." she announced. "There's ice cream in the freezer if any of you would like it with your pie."
The classic three pies were in Maggie's line up, Pumpkin, Apple and Pecan...but it was the fourth pie that I wanted.
"There's banana cream pie?" I asked, astonished as Maggie began setting out dessert after Dinner.
"For my sweet boy, yes. You didn't think grandma forgot, did you?"
Xxxxx
"Mother, I'm sorry we couldn't spend Thanksgiving together... Delia-"
"You wanted a peaceful holiday, I understand. Just give me my grandbaby, I have pie and ice cream waiting for him in the kitchen."
From Maggie's small apartment fridge came a bright, yellow pie with a layer of white cream spread on top. Slices of banana and drizzles of caramel decorated the top, the older woman instructing her son to fetch her grandbaby a dish and fork.
"Come here, Ash. Grandma has something extra special for you this year."
On the wall in the kitchen hung the woman's calendar, Thanksgiving having been marked off that morning. She didn't have much to say to her son as she cut a slice of pie, scooping some ice cream on the dish next to it.
"Mother-"
"My little Ash, he loves bananas. Doesn't he?"
My nod, and awestruck stare, warmed my grandmother's heart. Her demeanor was colder towards my father. He sat quietly, seeing as his mother did not want to hear any of his excuses that moment. As I forked delicious pie in to my mouth, she put her hand on my father's knee.
"How many more holidays will she take from me, Aaron?" she whispered.
"I'm doing all I can to reason with her."
Maggie didn't care for the effort, already aware of how futile it was.
"This is my family, too. I'm being robbed." she insisted. "He's being robbed. We should have been together yesterday."
My father and grandmother's hushed conversation paused as they watched me hum to myself with pie in my mouth. I kicked my legs back and forth, looking down at the Pikachu that was wearily eyeing me.
"Grandma!" I chimed. "I think your Pikachu wants pie, too."
"He wants everything we eat. Spoiled little thing."
The Pikachu didn't want to come too close to me, but wanted what I was eating.
"He'll bite you." She warned him. "You take his pie, he gets your ear."
Running away, the Pikachu was done with me for now.
"I won't bite him, Grandma."
My elders didn't let me in on the joke, instead they encouraged me to finish eating. When all done, I thanked my grandmother with a big bug and asked if she could make me that special pie again next Thanksgiving.
Only, I never saw her that next Thanksgiving.
Xxxxx
Since I helped Reggie prepare the food, Alain and Paul decided to take on the bulk of the cleanup. They sent Reggie to the living with what was left of his dinner wine. He took a relaxing breath and reclined in his chair. Maggie set her cane by the couch and took a seat at the end, coaxing me in to lay with my head in her lap.
"Was the pie as good as you remembered?" she asked me.
"It was better."
"I had to add extra love to make up for all these years."
Wanting in on the love, Pikachu came running. He softly hopped up on to the couch, burrowing his way in to my chest so that I'd hold him close. Stuffed with food and warm from the house's heat, I felt like a little kid again lying on the couch with my grandmother as she watched T.V. I'd almost forgotten Reggie was in the room.
"These are my babies." she told him, proudly. "I've missed them."
"It's hard, isn't it?"
"It is. I have my little Ash back, but he's all grown now."
Maggie took the blanket that was draped over the back of the couch and put it over me and Pikachu.
"No, matter. You're still my little Ash." she comforted me. "Your father... if only he could see you. What a handsome, sweet young man you've grown to be."
"Dad knows when my birthday is, he could've reached out when I turned eighteen. I'm almost twenty-two." I retorted, sleepily. "He doesn't want me, anymore."
"Not once has he ever said that to me."
I shouldn't have been so shocked that my grandmother still had contact with my father. He was her son for Christ sake.
"Why are you telling me this?" I asked her, holding Pikachu tighter to me.
"Don't you want to know that your father thinks about you?"
"I think about him, too. It doesn't make it a good thing."
Taking out her own dex, Maggie opened it. The model was much older, one I didn't recognize. The dex was plain and matte, rounded edges and kind of clunky. It was a pearly white color. She scrolled through her contacts.
Aaron Ketchum.
"Would you like to wish your father a happy holiday?" she offered gently.
I was quick to tell her no and Maggie then went to her voice mail. She hit the play button to the most recent message she had. It was from that morning.
"Hi Mother, I guess I've missed you this time around... call me back when you can. I wanted to tell you happy Thanksgiving. I wish you and Ash could be here... but, that wasn't meant to be. Still, tell my son I love him this time. It would put my heart at ease if you would. I don't know how many more times I have to ask. Regardless, have a happy holiday, Mother. I'll talk to you again, soon."
Xxxxx